That night, Su Luo went to the Yuexing Sect and presented his ideas.
"Hmph, how do I know what you're saying is true? If you're setting a trap for us and we fall for it, wouldn't that make us incredibly foolish?"
"With Lin Xuan around, there's no way your sect alone could take us down. I'm helping you out here. I, too, despise Lin Xuan and don't want to see him steal the spotlight again."
"No matter what you say, I won't believe you."
"Fine, don't believe me. Later, I'll reveal our sect's location. Many other sects would be more than happy to surround and attack us. You can decide what to do."
Indeed, the slightly weaker sects could only band together to rival the strength of the three major sects.
Liang Gaozhan contemplated whether to trust or not.
In the end, he decided to play it by ear. If anything felt off, they'd retreat immediately.
The thought of multiple sects besieging the Seven Stars Sword Sect excited Liang Gaozhan. It would essentially crush the Seven Stars Sword Sect.
The mere idea filled him with joy.
Su Luo used the same tactics on other sects, and they were quite willing to join forces, as it benefited them without any drawbacks.
By eliminating the stronger sects, the remaining weaker sects could then fight among themselves, each relying on their own abilities.
This was a much better scenario than being crushed by the three major sects.
Thus, in the second stage, forming alliances was a solid strategy.
Su Luo didn't need to use any special tactics; everything went smoothly, as it was part of the plot.
With all of this taken care of, the second phase began the next day.
The survival mode started with each sect placed randomly across the map.
Anyone who lost consciousness was disqualified.
The competition lasted three days, with the range of playable zones progressively shrinking.
As soon as he entered the battlefield, Su Luo hurried away, disappearing from everyone's sight.
"Where's Su Luo?"
"I don’t know, when did he leave?"
"I knew it! He's just a coward who deserts his team just like that." Xie Feiran had always opposed Su Luo joining the team, and his hatred for Su Luo remained.
With his comment, the others became even more hostile towards Su Luo.
"Alright, let's stick to the plan." Lin Xuan spoke up at this moment.
He had become the team leader, and the others were willing to follow his lead.
"Are you sure this is the right strategy?" Zhuo Mingyuan double-checked their competition strategy.
"That's right, all that matters is showing our fighting spirit."
Their so-called plan was merely to rush into battles, no strategy behind it – sheer brute strength.
Initially, other team members had proposed several plans that could improve their chances of winning.
For instance, staying hidden until the final zone, conserving energy. Even if they lost, they could still claim second place.
Another tactic involved secretly provoking rival sects, stirring up conflicts among them, and then reaping the benefits.
But Lin Xuan rejected all these suggestions.
Achieving a commendable result through such methods was not something to be proud of. Instead, he preferred a relentless battle, demonstrating their unwavering determination to the other sects.
Although the others disagreed, since Lin Xuan had made the decision, they went along with it.
Soon, they encountered other sects, not just one, but three.
"Looks like we're about to enter a chaotic battle," Xie Feiran cautiously observed the opponents as the clash was imminent.
"Indeed, we'll have to adapt as we go," Lin Xuan said with some concern, surprised by the immediate multisectional encounter.
The battle began shortly after without much confrontation.
But soon, the Seven Stars Sword Sect sensed something was off.
Instead of a chaotic multisectional battle, it turned into a one-against-three situation targeting them.
They wanted to curse aloud.
Weren't you supposed to be fighting each other? How could you be so coordinated in taking us down?
But quickly, they understood the reason: it was because of their strength.
Alright, then, witness the true power of the Seven Stars Sword Sect!
Even surrounded by three sects, the Seven Stars Sword Sect didn't fear one bit.
Fight! Fight! Fight!
And then, in came the Yuexing Sect.
The atmosphere immediately shifted, as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown into the melting crucible.
The Yuexing Sect was different. They were much stronger.
"What bad luck is this?"
"Yeah, looks like it's a one-against-four situation now."
In this dilemma, could rushing into fighting like this really work against four strong sects combined?
Ignoring the Seven Stars Sword Sect's musings, the Yuexing Sect was primed to crush their "enemy," bloodlust aflame.
Thus, four sects started their coordinated attack on the Seven Stars Sword Sect.
"Lin Xuan, this isn’t working; we need to retreat," Xie Feiran said as he barely managed to hold back the enemy's onslaught.
"Yes, even if we're aggressive, we can't face four sects at the same time. We have to reconsider our strategy."
At that moment, Zhuo Mingyuan unleashed his full strength, instantly knocking several enemy fighters away.
"You take Lin Xuan and leave; I'll hold the rear," he declared resolutely.
So long as Lin Xuan remained unfazed, there’s a chance of a comeback.
Since witnessing Lin Xuan's bloody, desperate fight during the first stage, Zhuo Mingyuan knew he couldn't allow himself to falter.
Otherwise, how could he face the sect and his fellow disciples?
"Let me show you the strength of one of the Four Talents today."
Zhuo Mingyuan charged towards the opponents alone.
Liang Gaozhan laughed. "You? You’re just garbage."
"Yes, I’m trash. But I can’t afford to be trash today."
In a single exchange, Liang Gaozhan had to admit, Zhuo Mingyuan had solid skills.
However, with enemies at their gates, there was no place for honor.
Liang Gaozhan waved his hand, and those behind him surged forward.
"Don’t assume the only ones who have reinforcements."
Xie Feiran skillfully intervened, unleashing a roundhouse kick that knocked several opponents flying.
"Why didn’t you leave?" Zhuo Mingyuan asked urgently. If they didn’t leave now, it would be too late.
Lin Xuan patted his shoulder. "There’s no chance of victory, but we face this battle without fear."
"Yes, you think we’d be like Su Luo and abandon you? Never."
Here, the Seven Stars Sword Sect stood united, forming a circle against their enemies, rising to battle.
The Yuexing Sect cared nothing for such displays of passion and allegiance; their sole objective was to crush the Seven Stars Sword Sect.
The fight continued for a while when the Yunyan Sect happened to pass by and saw the scene unfolding.
"What’s going on here? Are you all ganging up on my brother?"
"Going one-on-one, sure, but attacking together like this? I can’t stand it."
"Sisters, let’s join the fray."
Without hesitation, the Yunyan Sect waded into the melee, serious and fully committed.
The scale of the battle expanded once again.
With the Yunyan Sect's help, Lin Xuan and his team had eased their burden greatly.
After a long, fierce battle had left everyone present exhausted.
Of course, nobody had lost consciousness, for how could those left watching the next spectacle be spectators without being able to observe it later?
Su Luo silently watched the outcome unfold – everything progressing right on schedule.
Recent developments, despite being in line with the plot, were marred by minor, untraceable inconsistencies – particularly involving the Elder Yanxi. Su Luo was pleased to see these glitches ironed out. Things had finally fallen back into line.
It was almost time to make his entrance.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Su Luo clapped his hands with a smirk on his face, clearly reveling in the sight of his strategy coming to fruition.
"Splendid! Truly a riveting spectacle. I couldn’t have enjoyed it any more."